Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Entertaining but superficial superhero thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
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Green Lantern
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 26 parent reviews
Parents say the movie offers a mix of decent action and visuals but is marred by excessive language and some scary imagery, which may not be suitable for younger viewers. While opinions are divided, many acknowledge its potential appeal to older children and fans of superhero genres, despite its shortcomings in storytelling and depth.
- violence concerns
- language issues
- mixed quality
- suitable for teens
- visual effects
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 62 kid reviews
What's the Story?
A beloved member of the Green Lantern corps of intergalactic police has died, felled by a monster known as the Parallax that feeds off fear. The glowing ring that empowers him also hunts for his successor; surprisingly, it chooses Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a headstrong, impulsive, irresponsible, but talented pilot who's still plagued by the death of his father (also a flyer) in a fiery crash. Hal's not sure he's up for the job (though he's clearly tickled by the idea that he's a superhero). As former paramour/colleague Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) reminds him, he's more capable than he allows himself to be -- but can he face off with the Parallax, even if it means confronting a childhood friend (Peter Sarsgaard)?
Is It Any Good?
Buoyant, irreverent, and not entirely satisfying, GREEN LANTERN is, as superhero movies go, heavy on the artillery (special effects) and light on profundity. Is it really that difficult to create a superhero with complexity (Spider-Man and Iron Man excepted)? It's not for lack of material; Hal Jordan, after all, has plenty of childhood trauma to mine. Although the movie acknowledges his torment, it spends much more time painting him as a bad-boy-with-a-heart enlivened by a ring that allows him to perform super-cool tricks. (As Hammond, Saarsgard does a better job at three-dimensionality but is also plagued by too much theatricality.)
The movie admittedly engaging at first -- wouldn't you be agog, too, if you discovered you had the ability to create anything simply from willpower and thought? But the conceit gets old quickly. Characters that could easily have lent Hal gravitas -- his nephew, his brothers -- disappear without a trace. Any nod to his shades of gray are quickly erased. This isn't to say that Reynolds fails; on the contrary, his easy charm appeals. But next time (if there is a next time), can his Jordan plumb more emotional depths?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Hal is reluctant to step into his role. What holds him back? Is this a typical reaction of would-be superheroes in other movies?
Do the movie's special effects minimize the violence? How does the impact of this kind of violence compare to more realistically violent scenes?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 17, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : November 14, 2023
- Cast : Blake Lively , Peter Sarsgaard , Ryan Reynolds
- Director : Martin Campbell
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 105 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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